Model Comparison

Gemini 3.6 Flash vs GPT-5 nanoWhich is better in 2026?

Comparing Gemini 3.6 Flash and GPT-5 nano across benchmarks, pricing, and capabilities.

Verdict: Gemini 3.6 Flash vs GPT-5 nano — which is better?

Gemini 3.6 Flash (by Google) and GPT-5 nano (by OpenAI) are two of the AI models people compare most. Here is how they stack up on benchmarks, price and capabilities, and which one to pick in 2026.

On price, GPT-5 nano is roughly 21.8x cheaper per token on a blended 3:1 input/output basis, which adds up quickly at production volume.

Gemini 3.6 Flash also accepts a larger context window (1,048,576 input tokens), making it the stronger choice for long documents and large codebases.

Choose Gemini 3.6 Flash if…

  • you process long inputs — it offers a 1,048,576 token context window
  • you want the most recent training data — it shipped Jul 2026

Choose GPT-5 nano if…

  • cost matters — it's about 21.8x cheaper per token

Performance Benchmarks

Comparative analysis across standard metrics

No common benchmarks found

Gemini 3.6 Flash and GPT-5 nanodon't have any common benchmark datasets to compare. They may have been evaluated on different testing suites.

Arena Performance

Human preference votes

Pricing Analysis

Price comparison per million tokens

GPT-5 nano costs less

For input processing, Gemini 3.6 Flash ($1.50/1M tokens) is 30.0x more expensive than GPT-5 nano ($0.05/1M tokens).

For output processing, Gemini 3.6 Flash ($7.50/1M tokens) is 18.8x more expensive than GPT-5 nano ($0.40/1M tokens).

In conclusion, Gemini 3.6 Flash is more expensive than GPT-5 nano.*

* Using a 3:1 ratio of input to output tokens

Lowest available price from all providers
Sun Jul 26 2026 • llm-stats.com
Google
Gemini 3.6 Flash
Input tokens$1.50
Output tokens$7.50
Best providerGoogle
OpenAI
GPT-5 nano
Input tokens$0.05
Output tokens$0.40
Best providerOpenAI
Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue→

Context Window

Maximum input and output token capacity

Gemini 3.6 Flash accepts 1,048,576 input tokens compared to GPT-5 nano's 400,000 tokens. GPT-5 nano can generate longer responses up to 128,000 tokens, while Gemini 3.6 Flash is limited to 65,536 tokens.

Google
Gemini 3.6 Flash
Input1,048,576 tokens
Output65,536 tokens
OpenAI
GPT-5 nano
Input400,000 tokens
Output128,000 tokens
Sun Jul 26 2026 • llm-stats.com

Input Capabilities

Supported data types and modalities

Both Gemini 3.6 Flash and GPT-5 nano support multimodal inputs.

They are both capable of processing various types of data, offering versatility in application.

Gemini 3.6 Flash

Text
Images
Audio
Video

GPT-5 nano

Text
Images
Audio
Video

License

Usage and distribution terms

Both models are licensed under proprietary licenses.

Both models have usage restrictions defined by their respective organizations.

Gemini 3.6 Flash

Proprietary

Closed source

GPT-5 nano

Proprietary

Closed source

Release Timeline

When each model was launched

Gemini 3.6 Flash was released on 2026-07-21, while GPT-5 nano was released on 2025-08-07.

Gemini 3.6 Flash is 12 months newer than GPT-5 nano.

Gemini 3.6 Flash

Jul 21, 2026

4 days ago

11mo newer
GPT-5 nano

Aug 7, 2025

11 months ago

Knowledge Cutoff

When training data ends

Gemini 3.6 Flash has a knowledge cutoff of 2026-03-31, while GPT-5 nano has a cutoff of 2024-05-30.

Gemini 3.6 Flash has more recent training data (up to 2026-03-31), making it potentially better informed about events through that date compared to GPT-5 nano (2024-05-30).

Gemini 3.6 Flash

Mar 2026

1.8 yr newer
GPT-5 nano

May 2024

Provider Availability

Gemini 3.6 Flash is available from Google. GPT-5 nano is available from OpenAI.

Gemini 3.6 Flash

google logo
Google
Input Price:Input: $1.50/1MOutput Price:Output: $7.50/1M

GPT-5 nano

openai logo
OpenAI
Input Price:Input: $0.05/1MOutput Price:Output: $0.40/1M
* Prices shown are per million tokens

Outputs Comparison

Notice missing or incorrect data?Start an Issue discussion→

Key Takeaways

Google
Larger context window (1,048,576 tokens)
OpenAI
Less expensive input tokens
Less expensive output tokens

Detailed Comparison

Interactive Arena

Judge for yourself.

Run your own prompts against Gemini 3.6 Flash and GPT-5 nano side-by-side, then vote on the output you prefer.

Gemini 3.6 Flash
✓ Preferred
GPT-5 nano
Open in Playground
AI Model Comparison Table
Feature
Google
Gemini 3.6 Flash
OpenAI
GPT-5 nano

FAQ

Common questions about Gemini 3.6 Flash vs GPT-5 nano.

Which is better, Gemini 3.6 Flash or GPT-5 nano?

Gemini 3.6 Flash (Google) and GPT-5 nano (OpenAI) each have strengths in different areas. Compare their benchmark scores, pricing, context windows, and capabilities above to determine which fits your needs.

How does Gemini 3.6 Flash compare to GPT-5 nano in benchmarks?

Gemini 3.6 Flash scores CharXiv-R: 89.4%, OSWorld-Verified: 83.0%, Terminal-Bench 2.1: 78.0%, MLE-Bench: 63.9%, SWE-Bench Pro: 58.7%. GPT-5 nano scores AIME 2025: 85.2%, HMMT 2025: 75.6%, GPQA: 71.2%, FrontierMath: 9.6%, Humanity's Last Exam: 8.7%.

Is Gemini 3.6 Flash cheaper than GPT-5 nano?

GPT-5 nano is 30.0x cheaper for input tokens. Gemini 3.6 Flash costs $1.50/M input and $7.50/M output via google. GPT-5 nano costs $0.05/M input and $0.40/M output via openai.

What are the context window sizes for Gemini 3.6 Flash and GPT-5 nano?

Gemini 3.6 Flash supports 1.0M tokens and GPT-5 nano supports 400K tokens. A larger context window lets you process longer documents, conversations, or codebases in a single request.

What are the main differences between Gemini 3.6 Flash and GPT-5 nano?

Key differences include context window (1.0M vs 400K), input pricing ($1.50 vs $0.05/M). See the full comparison above for benchmark-by-benchmark results.

Who makes Gemini 3.6 Flash and GPT-5 nano?

Gemini 3.6 Flash is developed by Google and GPT-5 nano is developed by OpenAI.

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